IQNA

TEHRAN (IQNA) – The Iranian Cultural Center in Senegal signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the African country’s Muridiyya Publishing Institute on cooperation in translating Islamic and Persian works into the languages spoken in Senegal.

According to the website of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization, in a meeting with the secretary general of Africa Advisory Group, Seyyed Hassan Esmati, Iran's cultural attaché in Senegal, highlighted the role Iranians have played in the history of Islamic sciences.

He also said that the Iranian center is ready to cooperate with the institute in the publication of Iranian works and Islamic books in Senegal.

He further expressed hope that the agreement will be a positive step toward introducing the Persian language, literature and civilization to the Senegalese society.

The translation of Imam Ali's (AS) sayings in Nahj-ul-Balagha into the Wolof language will be the first project to be jointly conduted by the Iranian Cultural Center and the Muridiyya Publishing Institute.

Nahj-ul-Balagha is a collection of sermons, precepts, prayers, epistles and aphorisms of Imam Ali (AS) compiled by al-Sayyid al-Sharif al-Radi about one thousand years ago.

Wolof is a language of Senegal, the Gambia and Mauritania. It is the most widely spoken language in Senegal, spoken natively by the Wolof people (40% of the population) but also by most other Senegalese as a second language.

Islam is the predominant religion in Senegal. 92 percent of the country's population is estimated to be Muslim.